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“ | I can't change this city without help. People need to be inspired. They need to see me, they need to hear my voice. | „ |
~ Will Sykes' delusions of grandeur. |
Will Sykes is the secondary antagonist of the Criminal Minds episode "A Real Rain". He is a paranoid narcissist who believes that he is destined to bring order and justice to New York City, and takes credit for a series of vigilante murders that someone else committed.
He was portrayed by David Aaron Baker.
Biography[]
Early Life[]
Sykes is a security guard in New York City who is obsessed with fame and believes he is the only person who can put an end to crime and violence in the city. In 2005, he is mugged and spends two days in the hospital, which only intensifies his delusional sense of purpose.
"A Real Rain"[]
When a vigilante serial killer begins murdering criminals in New York City, Sykes tries to take credit for the murder spree to achieve the notoriety he craves. He goes to Central Park armed with a pistol, planning to kill any criminal he finds. When he is approached by an undercover police officer, Sykes mistakes him for a mugger and shoots him dead. He is quickly arrested, and declares himself the vigilante serial killer.
The FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) comes in to evaluate Sykes. Supervisory Agent Jason Gideon interrogates Sykes, asking him why he killed a police officer. Thinking it is a trick, Sykes improvises and says he did it to prove how ineffectual the police are in stopping crime. He then claims that he turned himself in so he could inspire the people of New York City.
Gideon immediately suspects that Sykes is not the real killer, but tries to make sure by asking Sykes about the other victims, including a domestic abuser and a child molester; Sykes simply replies that they deserved to die, but does not elaborate. Gideon then asks Sykes why he castrated the child molester, and Sykes replies that the man's punishment fit his crime. This reveals that Sykes could not be the real killer, as the molester was stabbed through the ear, not castrated. When Gideon reveals the truth, Sykes admits that he is not the serial killer, but still insists that he is destined to be the savior of New York City.
The BAU eventually finds the real killer, Marvin Doyle, and Agent Aaron Hotchner shoots him dead during a standoff. Sykes is later found guilty of and imprisoned for killing the police officer.
Trivia[]
- Sykes is inspired by Bernhard Goetz, a victim of mugging later known as "The Subway Vigilante" after a different sort of shooting in New York City.
External Links[]
- Will Sykes on the Criminal Minds Wiki